Historic Hillcrest Sign To Be Replaced

New Hillcrest Sign Will Have Eco-Friendly LED Lights

The historic Hillcrest sign will soon be receiving a much-needed update.

Nearby streets were temporarily closed on Wednesday night so crews could slowly dismantle the current sign, which is being retired and will be replaced with a new one.

"We're coming in with a brand new sign: a $40,000 project with eco-friendly LED lights," said Lisa Weir of the Hillcrest Business Association. "It's going to be fresh. It's going to be spectacular, just like Hillcrest."

The Hillcrest sign has been a welcoming beacon in San Diego since 1940.

In 1984, the current sign was rebuilt to include pink neon tube lighting.

'It's become known to be a gathering place for the LGBT community [and] the straight community," said Nancy Moors of the Hillcrest History Guild. "People from all over San Diego come to celebrate the feel of Hillcrest."

"The party that happened underneath the sign was the genesis for CityFest and the community is bound by this sign and is drawn together every year at CityFest for it," said Ann Garwood, who co-founded the guild with Moors.

The new sign will be unveiled on Sunday night.

Do you have more information about this story? Click here to contact usCopyright 2011 by 10News.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.